With the 10th anniversary of the start of the Iraq war, it seems appropriate to take a look at what war costs the US taxpayer after the war is over, a dynamic that is often overlooked when wars begin.

Currently, the US government pays out $40 billion a year to the veterans and survivors from the Afghanistan and two Iraq conflicts, the Vietnam War, the Korean War, World War I and II, the 1898 Spanish-American War and the Civil War.

Yep, you saw that correctly the Civil War. There are currently two recipients each receiving $876 annually. There are 10 beneficiaries from the Spanish-American war. Here’s a breakdown:

PRICE PER WAR EACH YEAR

• $12 billion in compensation to veterans and families for Iraq, Afghanistan and the first Persian Gulf conflict (1991).

• $22 billion in compensation for the Vietnam War (1975).

• $2.8 billion in compensation for the Korean War (1953).

• $5 billion in compensation for World War II (1945).

• $20 million in compensation for World War I (1918).

• $50,000 in compensation for the Spanish-American War (1898).

• $1,752 in compensation for the Civil War (1865).

When you look at history. It is most likely the US taxpayer will still be paying for out latest military endeavors until the middle of the 22nd century.